Protests held against the monarchy on coronation anniversary

REPUBLICAN protesters in London’s Trafalgar Square shouted “abdicate, abdicate” ahead of the first anniversary of the King’s coronation as tourists milled around and watched the crowd.

Two large yellow banners were hung in front of the National Gallery in central London that read “abolish the monarchy” and “change country for good”.

Around 100 people wearing yellow gathered on the sunny Sunday for the protest organised by anti-monarchy group Republic, in its first “Republic Day”.

The organisation’s CEO, Graham Smith, said from the stage: “We will have Republic Days every year on the eve of the coronation.”

Smith and other Republic members were arrested for taking part in a pre-agreed protest on the King’s coronation last year and were later told no further action would be taken.

Subsequently he launched legal action against the Metropolitan Police and Smith told the crowd this is ongoing.

He said: “We need to challenge the monarchy and the royals because it is a corrupt institution they are a lazy people, they have not earned their position and they need to be kicked out.

“We want a constitution and a system and a democracy that actually celebrates our very best principles and values.

“This won’t just be a matter of principle, it will change the way we govern ourselves and therefore change the society and the way that we see ourselves not as subjects, but as citizens.”

He went on: “People who support this stupid institution say that without it we would be a dull country, we wouldn’t be able to bring tourists in.

“As if we rely on this one tedious family to bring people in; that we don’t have the creativity, the ingenuity, the genius and the brilliance to bring all these people in.”